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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. squash — to crush
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. season — of the year
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cue — for pool
  9. drill — the tool
  10. court — for sport
  11. drill — army training
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. court — of law
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cue — a hint
  16. court — of a king
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stand — to bear
  19. squash — the sport
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. season — in sport
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com